Jehovah’s Witnesses Gone Wild!

Many go on a drug, alcohol or sex filled binge and completely ruin their lives in the process. Some even go so far as committing suicide.

Some…take it even further.

Most of us are aware of the recent attack at a New Orleans airport where Richard White chased a TSA officer armed with a machete, a barbecue lighter, and six Molotov cocktails.

What you may not know?

Richard White was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and had “refused certain types of medical care.” One has to make the assumption that this would include psychiatric care. As most of us are painfully aware, psychiatry has always been pointed to as a “man-made solution to a spiritual problem” by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society.

Could the Watchtower’s open condemnation and even ridicule of psychiatric treatment have contributed to this tragedy which, if not for the heroic actions of TSA officers, could have been much worse?

Note the following quotations:

Awake! 1960 March 8 p.27
“As a rule, for a Christian to go to a worldly psychiatrist is an admission of defeat, it amounts to ‘going down to Egypt for help.’ Isaiah 31:1. Often when a Witness of Jehovah goes to a psychiatrist, the psychiatrist will try to persuade him that his troubles are caused by his religion, entirely overlooking the fact that the Christian witnesses of Jehovah are the best-oriented, happiest and most contented group of people on the face of the earth. They have the least need for psychiatrists. Also, more and more psychiatrists are resorting to hypnosis, which is a demonic form of worldly wisdom.”

Awake! 1975 August 22 p.25
“Is the turning of people from the clergy to the psychiatrists a healthy phenomenon? No, for it really is a case of jumping from the frying pan into the fire. They are worse off than they were before… That they are not the ones to go to for help when one is depressed and beset with all manner of problems is to be seen from the fact that suicides among them are twice as frequent as among the population in general… what is needed at such times is not worldly psychiatrists who may wholly ignore the change that the truth and God’s holy spirit have made in one’s life and who know nothing of their power to help one put on a new Christian personality. Rather, what is needed at such times is a mature Christian in whom one has confidence and who is vitally interested in one’s welfare and who will not shrink back from administering needed reproof or counsel so that one may get healed.”

As has been seen in the thousands of cases of pedophilia committed by even high ranking members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the subsequent failure of the body of elders and their corporate headquarters to adequately (and legally) address these crimes, the body of elders simply aren’t equipped to help anyone with serious psychological issues. Yet they continue to insist that they are.

What could the Watchtower have done, if anything, to prevent Richard White, a member in good standing, of “Jehovah’s organization on earth”, from getting to this state of mind and committing such an act?

I’m asking all of our past contributors to weigh in with their thoughts on how and why this could happen and what part, if any, they feel the Watchtower’s negligence in condemning the science of psychiatry played in this tragedy.

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That poor poor man 🙁 I feel for him and for his family aswell as the innocent victims of this event.
What is with the WBT society and their total disregard of medical advancement they laud the progress of modern medicine for blood free surgery as it suits them and they’re control of the congregations but when someone (as this man obviously did) needs phsyciatric care he is directed to not accepted it as he is not showing faith. Paedophiles are accepted but not able to hold positions but the damaged that they have caused doesn’t leave their victim. Amazing how a group of imperfect humans acting on behalf of Jehovah can make a distinction on what is and what is not acceptable ??? At the end if the day as a loving parent I take it back to basics would I want my child to suffer with a mental illness or chemical imbalance and have a chat with a elder or would I go to person who has studied humans and can offer relief and a “normal” existence?? My twins had asthma and I got them ventolin and nebulisers the elders couldn’t help them breath but medicine could?

The old boot in the door tactic doesn’t work anymore. The machette/Molotov combo is a new directive from the Watchtower for making converts….also called the M and M technique.

I found the WT quotes you bring out very interesting Doug. I’ve never seen thise before but was aware of the Witness dogma against mental health. Remember Tom Cruise Scientolgy rant against Brook Shields getting mental help?

The human mind is the most complicated piece of machinery in the universe and false religions think they can just pray the problems away.

Who tipped you off he is (was) a JW Doug?
I wonder if he remembered to turn in his field
Service report?

The first things is that the JWs are the least happy people on the face of the earth. I have an aunt who is a JW and a cousin who also is a JW and they are the most bitter, hateful people I know. They turn against their own family because of the hatred that had been instilled in their hearts by the lies told by Satab through this organization.

I understand that when seeking help, you need to seek help from others that are Christians. The first thing is that they aren’t Christians, and the second thing is that there are plenty of Christian psychologists, therapists and psychiatrists in the world! But they aren’t Christians so to them, true Christians aren’t Christians. The sad thing is that people involved in this group are so brainwashed that they don’t realize the lies that they are being told and they refuse to hear the actual truth, and accept Jesus because their religion tells them not to. Isn’t that exactly what Satan wants?

I’m not one to advocate for Western medicine. I think some times it is more destructive than helpful, especially because a lot of doctors give you medicine unnecessarily for an ailment that can be easily cure or controlled naturally or by making lifestyle changes. By some times, medication is necessary.

JWs go to doctors and they use worldly things like cell phones and cars and appliances. So my question is why do they claim that some things are “evil and wordly” and other wordly things don’t fit that description? This is very confusing.

This organization needs prayer and I am starting to believe that they will take an important part in the destruction of evil, because they have misled so many people and refuse to repent.

A neighbor, Donna Jackson, told the Times-Picayune that White was a former Army serviceman, long since retired and living off Social Security and disability checks. He was a deeply religious man, she said, a Jehovah’s Witness who shunned Western medicine and encouraged Jackson to use herbal remedies, even to treat her diabetes.

The reason that they are so afraid of psychologists and psychiatrists is that they employ so much of it in their brainwashing. Why would you want your people going to a doctor who tells them to trust their own feelings, think for themselves and to use critical thinking in their lives? It’s the same reason they don’t want any of their followers attending college.

People who do usually do start thinking for themselves and then they realize that they’ve been deceived.

Sometimes God’s hands are found at the of the arms He created. To rule out medical advancement in the name of faith is to create circumstances such as these and to abdicate all personal responsibility in the name of religion.

I agree Doug, just we can run to doctors every time rather than to the Great Physician all the time. Too many prescriptions that affect thinking and has effect on dependence. 2 sides of the spectrum. Your blog has opened my eyes to the other side of it. Thanks.

Most people who have serious mental disorders stop taking their meds because they think they don’t need them anymore. What religions like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Scientology have done it to legitimize this “head in the sand” approach to seriously ill people.

Surveys and documentation have been made related to the mental problems the JW’s are dealing with. The suicide rate is very high among all religions. Remember the murder/suicide in Riverwalk, S.C. from the Miller family back in January of 2014. Two children, wife and the husband who took care as a the “head” of the house. Neighbors said: “No one saw it coming.” It shows how deeply the cult cuts inside JW’s hearts that they cannot seek professional help. They are happy from the outside, inside they are totally destroyed. A few years ago I met a young, 24 y/o JW musician from the Watchtower orchestra. We were invited to a friend’s house (a JW classical music trained pianist) to hear him play violin. A night of Mozart, Beethoven and some Kingdom songs. Not even a year later we hear the news that he committed suicide by throwing himself into railroad tracks after been disfellowshipped. I know there are stories galore like these out there. How many psychiatric symptoms can be counted from the New Orleans incident? Schizophrenia, paranoia, bi-polar, anxiety & panic disorder, manic depression, delusional disorder. To top it all, this was suicide-by-cop syndrome. More than this being in the 6:00 news, should be placed in a well made, nationwide, prime time documentary. Let people and the JW’s know and understand what they are dealing with.

My own father-in-law was a Circuit Overseer and then an elder. He then experienced depression, lost his position, floundered a while, and then committed suicide. I’ve seen it first hand and knew plenty of JW’s who have killed themselves. Of course they don’t speak of such things and counsel their followers not to attend the funeral of someone who committed suicide.

Really sad and twisted stuff. I’m so glad that I was able to escape that cult.

Do ANY of those in charge have experience caring for or helping anyone with mental illness? I find it strange that they quickly jumped on the information highway to get their message out to the people of the world but they don’t want people to seek help if they have a mental problem. It seems to me they want to always have that control over their congregants. What about someone who is schizophrenic or bipolar? Those people MUST take medication to function in a reasonably normal fashion. Sadly those who do have these problems and don’t seek help end up having a psychotic break and do something the elders will jump to disfellowship them on the spot for. If only they were encouraged to seek psychological help for their (sometimes) inherited mental problems.

The watchtower society would condemn it’s own members for seeking medical advice solely for trying to keep “worldly” people away, they are terrified of the flock being ‘infected’ with mindful strategies which seek to rebalance disordered, damaged thinking. I have worked in a mental health ward, to see a person broken down and self harming is truly disturbing, any normal person would have compassion.

Of course the watchtower society then blames the individual: it was their own fault, they didn’t have enough faith, they allowed demons to enter their mind, and so on.

1 in 4 people will experience mental health problems, please people, seek help, I have needed help at times and going to my doctor was the best way of getting appropriate treatment for me. Get help, talk to somone, or maybe you could be the friend who could support somone to get help, but don’t do it alone. You don’t have to take drugs, but counselling, psychotherapy or cognitive behaviour therapy are recognised treatments for reframing disordered thinking.

Alena, I totally agree. My JW elder husband mentally and emotionally abused me for years and nothing was ever done to him. I took my kids and left him. Of course he told everyone I ran away with someone from my job but that wasn’t true. He talked such a good game and presented himself as such a pious family man I didn’t bother telling anyone how badly he treated me because I knew no one would believe me. I moved very far away and sought help. It was the best thing I ever did for myself. The WTS is NOT equipped to handle people with schizophrenia, bipolar or other sometimes inherited mental illnesses so without proper medication they have psychotic breaks and the elders are very quick to disfellowship the person without realizing that being properly diagnosed and medicated they could have a reasonably normal life.

And more news related to mental illness within the JW’s. Talk about timing. This just in!
“Married Jehovah’s Witness, 36, who had sex with boy, 15, after inviting him to sleepovers with her children avoids jail sentence-Kelly Jane Richards, South Wales, UK. Kelly Jane Richards met the teenager at their local KH in South Wales. She invited “vulnerable” boy to her family home for sleepover with her children (2). She was caught out when the child’s suspicious mother hid a tape recorder in his bedroom. The mother went to the authorities. The boy admitted to officers that Richards had had sex with him, giving him alcohol, asking him for massages and “leading me on.” During their encounters, Richards had told the boy: “Don’t tell anyone because I might get done for this.” Richards was sentenced to a two-year suspended jail term and a sexual offences prevention order. She will also have to sign on to the sex offenders’ register for ten years. Check the whole news at social.jw-archive.org for more details.
So, she definitely needs God in her heart. The flesh is weak. That’s an understatement. However, how about some professional counseling? Do constant meetings, knocking on doors and going to assemblies decrease the I.Q.? Is this God’s earthly organization of (almost) perfect brothers and sisters? Not a chance!

Alena
I found the story about Kelly Jane Richards, absolutely disgusting, she should have gone to prison, and the elders supported her and more fool the husband who supported her.

This entire organisation is sick, it teaches people to live in and put up with an unimaginably sick framework of thinking, behaving and living. The watchtower plays with peoples lives and minds. Their charitable status should be revoked.

My former wife and I were long term JWs. When our marriage was breaking up, we (of course) sought the help of the elders. Well after a very long discussion that got nowhere, and as the meeting was being wound up, I said, “Well I think we should now speak to a marriage guidance counselor”. My (ex) wife immediately said, “No, I don’t want to.” And the two elders – in unison – said, “That’s right J—, we get all the counsel we need from the bible”. My (ex)wife looked very pleased with herself as she’d evidently said the right thing. However, I thought to myself, “You bastards, you weren’t able to help, and now you’re determined that no one else will either.”

Ian,
I have a multitude of stories like that enough to curl yer hair!
JW”s the GB and Elder system Push the fact that “We are no part of this world” Going outside of anything JW for help is the absolute last resort and is quietly frowned upon if you do go. This leaves the JW support system that quickly blames all of your marital, emotional, kid loving feelings on the fact that you simply have not devoted yourself to the organization enough and that throwing yourself into it will solve every problem that you have. THe hair curling stories are a result of amateur humans making an attempt to give council. The Elder body boasts that they are common men inspired by God to lead the little flock (of JW’s) This could not be any more true. I have yet to meet an Elder that had any formal schooling in psychiatry or marriage counseling. It really is sad, because potentially good people lean on this system for support and no good counsel is given. This is what leads to the final break down of their emotional state and they do crazy things like mentioned above.

I just wanna say that I have been raised a witness and have bipolar. They have always encouraged me to get help and take my meds. There are a lot of things I am confused about which is why I came on here. but I know for a fact Me and my siblings and my kids have always got medical and mental help from doctors when we needed them.

Nothing wrong with going to the Doctor. But try going to the Elders and telling them that you need to see a Psychiatrist because you need counseling. Try it. I’m curious. PS That goes for Marriage counseling as well.

The articles you stated to prove your point are dated back to the 1960s. Every human being in this world is imperfect. Ecclesiastes 7:20 states “For there is no righteous man on earth who always does good and never sins. King David was considered one of Jehovahs friends. David did many things that were bad such as sleeping with a married woman and killing her husband. David repented and Jehovah forgave him. My point is that everyone makes mistakes. Don’t blame God for your actions, instead take responsibility for your actions. Jehovah has given mankind free will because he loves us and our purpose now is to share Jehovahs word with everyone. You have a choice to either do God’s will or fulfill your own. If you want to have oral sex with your wife then do it, but stop trashing your desires and blaming Jehovah for your desires.

I go to a psychiatrist and I attend meetings at the Jehovahs witnesses congregations and not one have said to me that it’s wrong to get help. They insist that if you need help to take the necessary steps. I know a lot of people that go to counseling, marriage counseling, and visit psychiatrist for treatments that are Jehovahs witnesses. I suffer from bipolar disorder and I take medication to stabilize my mood. I have been abused my whole life and suffer from Trauma. My medication and meetings have helped me to be a great mother, wife, and friend. I don’t understand why people love blaming God. 1 John 5:19 states “We know that we originate with God, but the WHOLE WORLD IS LYING IN THE POWER OF THE WICKED ONE. My friends sometimes through writing we cannot tell the mood but I’m saying this in good terms and with Kindness and respect to all. The one who is ruling this world right now is Satan his his followers that are Demons. Becareful and do not be misled.

Anonymous.
Good for you for seeking help, and Im glad you found it. If it brings you benefits, dont stop
As regards the Watchtower however, they have made their stance VERY clear in their literature as the quotes below show.

If you are able to “get away with” going to a psych now, it is a sign of the changing times. Perhaps nowadays the
brothers no longer crush you for going to a mental health care practitioner, but when I was a witness you would have been viewed as a traitor to the faith.

Read on:
Garrett

Psychiatry and Hypnosis

The Watchtower does not forbid a Witness seeing a psychiatrist or psychologist, however does speak disparagingly of these professions. Experiences are related of how becoming a Witness succeeds where psychiatry has failed. Psychologists are to be avoided because it shows the person has lost faith in the Bible’s ability to provide the solutions, will likely direct people away from the Watchtower religion and may resort to “demonic” hypnosis.

Watchtower 1990 September 1 p.15
“The sister then told her how a knowledge of Bible truth had helped her. She had lost an 18-year-old daughter in death and had gone into a state of deep depression for eight years. Neither psychiatrists nor costly medications helped her to overcome this depression. Several times, she said, she was hospitalized, but no improvement resulted. Her household was taken care of by servants because she herself was not able to take care of anything. She tried to commit suicide because she had lost interest in life. Nothing seemed to help.
Then, she told the lady, one day Jehovah’s Witnesses called and left her some Bible literature. That sparked her interest in God’s Word, and she began to read the Bible all the way through. Something started to change within her. She began to get up in the morning and take an interest in her household. She finally decided to take care of the house by herself and found she was able to do so. It was as though she had never been sick! This made her feel very happy.
She did not return to the psychiatrist. Her will to live was stimulated by her knowledge of God’s Word, and this proved to be the best medicine. She looked for Jehovah’s Witnesses, and they started a regular study with her. She also began to attend meetings, and very soon she got baptized. No longer bothered with depression, she now finds joy in serving Jehovah.”
Watchtower 1988 Oct 15 p.29
“What, though, about accepting treatment from a psychiatrist or a psychologist? This would be a personal decision to be made with due caution. … Of even more concern is the fact that some well-intentioned practitioners have given advice that flatly contradicts the Bible. … Does the physician understand and respect the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses?”

Awake! 1975 August 22 p.25
“Is the turning of people from the clergy to the psychiatrists a healthy phenomenon? No, for it really is a case of jumping from the frying pan into the fire. They are worse off than they were before… That they are not the ones to go to for help when one is depressed and beset with all manner of problems is to be seen from the fact that suicides among them are twice as frequent as among the population in general… what is needed at such times is not worldly psychiatrists who may wholly ignore the change that the truth and God’s holy spirit have made in one’s life and who know nothing of their power to help one put on a new Christian personality. Rather, what is needed at such times is a mature Christian in whom one has confidence and who is vitally interested in one’s welfare and who will not shrink back from administering needed reproof or counsel so that one may get healed.”

Awake! 1960 March 8 p.27
“As a rule, for a Christian to go to a worldly psychiatrist is an admission of defeat, it amounts to ‘going down to Egypt for help.’ Isaiah 31:1. Often when a Witness of Jehovah goes to a psychiatrist, the psychiatrist will try to persuade him that his troubles are caused by his religion, entirely overlooking the fact that the Christian witnesses of Jehovah are the best-oriented, happiest and most contented group of people on the face of the earth. They have the least need for psychiatrists. Also, more and more psychiatrists are resorting to hypnosis, which is a demonic form of worldly wisdom.”

Watchtower 1963 January 15 p.37-8
“The second reason for our critical times is modern man’s rejection of God’s Word the Bible. Enemies such as Wellhausen and his prejudiced school of higher critics, Darwin and his evolutionists, Freud and his theories, Marx and his atheistic revolutionists all these have played a sinister role in destroying the guiding influence of the Bible for many; especially since so many of the clergy have adopted such worldly wisdom.. According to Freud, one of psychiatry’s chief authorities, religion is a great illusion that man will get rid of someday. Psychiatry stresses, ‘Know thyself,’ as if an enlightened self-love is sufficient for successful living. More than ignoring God, analysts often contradict God by advising those with guilty consciences that fornication, adultery and sodomy are not wrong in themselves. The charge rightly has been made that such counsel tends to exterminate the conscience.”

Awake! 1954
Without doubt psychologists… have a lot to learn and they think they know more than they actually do, or they would not have let two chimpanzees make such monkeys out of them.

Watchtower 1952 January 15 p.53
“So we must shun the false guides of men and their false religions, babbling psychologists, wordy psychiatrists and polluted politicians, all of which have built up such tremendous reputations as colossal failures. Look at the messes they have made, know them by their rotten fruits, reject them for their fruits.”

Anonymous I will refer you to Garrett’s well timed post regarding psychiatric treatment. You’ll notice that the last reference was from 1990.

Regardless you state that since everyone makes mistakes and is imperfect that somehow we can’t hold the Watchtower leadership responsible for their legislation of the lives of their followers. I disagree wholeheartedly. If they simply made these decisions for themselves it would be one thing. However, they don’t. They make them for seven million plus people who depend on every word coming from the Watchtower writing department to make decisions regarding everything in their lives including medical, financial, career, educational, and social choices that should be theirs and theirs alone to make.

Instead, what has happened is that every single active JW has to follow the guidance of the “faithful and discreet slave” and if they don’t they run the risk of being shunned, mistreated and even experiencing the pain of disfellowshipping i.e. being separated from friends, family and having their reputations trashed.

These aren’t suggestions. They are mandates made to the rank and file JW to follow or else. Thus the leadership of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society have, repeatedly, gone beyond the things written and sought to legislate everything in the lives of their adherents and the results have been devastating. Suicide rates among JW’s who use the elders instead of going to a qualified mental health professional are through the roof. My own father in law, a former circuit overseer and elder, committed suicide in his forties. I’ve known countless other JW’s who have either committed suicide or attempted it.

Yet, if it came out that someone was going to a psychiatrist back when I was in the organization, they were treated as if they were disfellowshipped.

Hi Doug,
I agree with you. Having been an elder, I know that often you would want to advise a JW to do something other than what the WT Socy advised. One example comes to mind. A family moved into our congregation. The husband put on an act of being a spiritual man. We visited their home & my wife commented afterwards that she felt squirmish around him. I had the feeling something was not right, but nothing concrete. A few years later he has an affair and is disfellowshipped. He is a very manipulative person, and managed to sweet talk a lot of people in the congregation. Many thought he was so nice and just mis-understood.
His wife forgives him & takes him back. He is re-instated. He later does the same thing, is disfellowshipped again. His wife asks for my advice… Should she take him back again?
My gut feeling was to tell her that she should stay clear and not touch him with a barge pole !
The “Official” line is that if she forgives him then the marriage bond should be preserved. In this instance I could see that he would just do the same thing repeatedly and was only returning to her as she was a lovely soft person whom he could easily control. My advice was to give her both sides of the advice… What the Society said, and what the Bible said about immorality ending the marriage bond. Her choice was to remain single and get a divorce. I subsequently stepped aside as an elder, and recently we have decided to fade out… Now I to month 2 and not missing all the BS / pressure and guilt trips. It is a shame that so many people suffer mentally and do not get the help that they deserve.

I am in the process of leaving the JW religion for the second time. It’s had a grip on my soul for awhile but I’m removing all Oppressive organizations and people from my life. But anyways just wanted to inform you all that they do encourage medical treatment now. Your quoting very old Watchtower info.

I wish your journey on the road to freedom from mind control to be emotionally and spiritually peaceful. I am relieved that the WTBTS seems to have reviewed their stance on seeking help from “worldy” psychiatric services.

However, the issue of whether they do encourage witnesses to get help now is not the point. The Governing Body of the WTBTS have said that THEY are the ONLY TRUE people who are CHOSEN by God (Jehovah) on earth because they have a direct link with him. Well, what the hell happened then. Did they explain their turnaround by saying “Oh shucks! We got our stance on seeking outside psychiatric help wrong” No, they didn’t say that as this would undermine their claim that they have a direct link with Jehovah and he wasn’t communicating very clearly to them and, how could they explain Jehovah ‘s only chosen representatives on earth changing their minds?

Did they say “Oh shucks, after all these years of telling you not to get psychiatric help we realised that Jehovah was lying to us!” No, they didn’t as this would mean that the WTBTS isn’t Jehovah’s true organisation on earth.

The point is that with the invention of the internet, the proliferation of self help books, more sophisticated educated systems around the world, the WTBTS got scared, they knew they HAD to change their stance, not to weaken their doctrine, but, in their sick minds, to strengthen it. If they continued to disfellowship their increasingly informed witnesses for seeking psychiatric help then the organisation would have folded sooner.

The Watchtower has always encouraged medical treatment but have always strongly discouraged psychiatric treatment. They were against vaccinations at the turn of the century but most other mainstream medicine was always encouraged. The things the Watchtower vehemently opposed were blood and any blood products including Factor 8 for hemophiliacs. (There is no telling how many hemophiliacs died over the years because of this view.) They also opposed organ transplants.

They still strongly object to blood transfusions and blood products although I believe they have softened their stance toward the use of Factor 8 and also organ transplants making them both a “conscience issue”.

There is, however, a large segment of Jehovah’s Witnesses that are into holistic medicine, chiropractic, and alternative medicines. This dovetails quite nicely with the standard “conspiracy mindset” of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Many are naturally distrustful of doctors in general.

The really sad part is that they kept the very people that most needed psychiatric help from getting it and turned around and disfellowshipped them when their untreated illnesses resulted in an infraction of their rules.

Something about “damned if you do and damned if you don’t” comes to mind.

Doug, Is there a true religion ? I was baptized when very young in the mid 70’s when they told me not to go to school because the end was right there.. I am still baptized but only to keep some family happy. I have never been happy since hearing ” the good news ” kind of funny ya know..

It has never been the true religion, it is not the true religion, it will never be the true religion. Jesus is the archangel Michael?; strike one! Jesus came invisibly in 1914?; strike two! They are the faithful and descreet slave?; strike three! And so goes on. You are backing the wrong team.

Bill that’s a very good question. I’ve asked myself that many times and here’s what I have come to terms with:

There isn’t and there is.

Religion is a lot like a car. They all will take you where you want to go. It’s more a matter of personal preference as to what you want to “drive”. You can go with the economy model or the sports car or a luxury sedan. It’s really up to you. They, if they are truly operational, will take you where you wish to go. There are “lemons” that won’t take you where you want to go. They will have inherent problems and will leave you stranded on the highway if you aren’t careful.

Bottom line? It’s the Christian that makes the religion and not the religion that makes the Christian.

I have had a long journey leaving and finally made the big stand that I am gone and will not be back.. But in all respect to this thread, the current view of witnesses is to seek medical help, therapy, or needed psychiatric help. They have modernized their view and even encourage getting needed help to the point of having talks and articles about it.

Lucky timing for the Governing Body if they have changed their stand, because they will all need a good psychotherapist and antidepressants after the tidal wave of letters, phone calls and bad press hits them from the child abuse hearings in Australia.

Thanks Beth. If you could point us all in the direction of these Watchtower / Awake articles extolling the virtues of modern psychology / psychotherapy that would be most helpful. I find it very hard to believe that they would endorse modern psychotherapy as a viable treatment.

I have just started to watch day 3 of the Australian royal commission on you tube, thank you for drawing people’s attention to this. Kevin Bowich, an elder, is on the stand.

Come on Watchtower,…………now tell the world you are God’s organisation on earth. The God I know is not a liar, not a bigot, not a religious hypocrite, doesn’t the bible tell us that if we see a sin and do nothing about it then we are just as sinful.

Im contacting 10 news agencies or government outlets per day to tell them about what is going on.
Below is just a single sample of one letter that I wrote to the UK Charity Commission urging them not to give tax exempt status to such monsters.
Im on my knees and begging for everyone to make an effort to get the message out to News outlets and governments by coming up with a form letter and posting. It doesn’t take long once you have a system.

People like Doug and Lloyd Evans and many others have done all the heavy lifting. It is time we all do our part and pull together and at the same time and bring this organization down to the ground.
Best of Wishes..
Garrett

Dear Sirs,

Are you following the 2 week Royal Commission hearing that is underway right now in Australia that exposes the massive cover up of child sexual abuse by the Watchtower Society/ Jehovahs Witnesses?

This is not an “Australian problem.” It is a global problem because the same policies
that protect pedophiles in Australia is protecting them in all countries where Jehovah’s Witnesses are to be found. This is because the same “sweep it under the rug” pedophile protecting policies come from one common source, namely the 7 leaders of the Watchtower Society called the Governing Body in New York.

Please tell me that you are not going to help them in their deplorable criminal acts by allowing them to have tax exempt-non profit-charity status. Such men and organizations should be prosecuted, not protected.

Thank you for listening.
Please act on this. We trust those of you in power to do the right thing.
Please don’t disappoint us.

Hi Garrett,
I have contacted the religious and cultural affairs newsdesks at both the bbc and daily telegraph newspaper, bringing their attention to the royal commission investigations. If BCG, as she was identified at the Australian investigation, has the bravery and emotional endurance to give evidence about how she was violated by an elder within her congregation, then this organisation must be stopped.

If people are unaware of the case, BCG reported abuse to the elders at her congregation. Within the family home BCG’s sister was also abused at separate occassions by their father, an elder, on separate occassions. BCG was asked to attend meeting with body of elders, including her father. At the hearing her father admitted to the abuse. Her father was disfellowshipped, NOT because he carried out sickening abuse, but because he left his wife for another woman. He was later reinstated to the same congregation that his daughter attended.

The Australian commission is still hearing evidence, you can watch the investigation on YouTube and follow the link from Garrett above.

As the WTBTS has lost their appeals, the UK charity commission will commence with their own investigations into the society’s charitable status, hopefully this will start soon.

The witnesses own gossip channel is probably our best bet for getting the message out there.
We only need one sister in Peru with a bowler hat to tell someone what she heard and the story will fly around the world faster than Superman in spandex…..
Or would Tony Morris call them Spanx?

Mike
It’s beyond tragic that so many people have contracted so many horrible diseases from this cult in that they obediantly listened to the GB and didn’t get vaccinations as it was regarded for decades in the earlier 1900s as the work of the devil.
Add to that all their blood guilt from changes in stands on organ donation and other Medical peroceedures and you realize how incredibly blood guilty the Governing Body of Jehovah’s witnesses is.

I have been enjoying reading your comments. I have never been able to make sense of “new lights” and what they mean for millions of people.
People went to psychiatrists years ago and were disfellowhipped or treated that way but it’s now ok to seek such help, no apologies to the poor people whose names were dragged on the mud for their seeking help. What kind of God changes his mind like that? These new lights are for me just confirmation that it was never truth to begin with, God isn’t backing this organisation. I am actually making my way, staying for the family but I have had enough.

Tynne
If you really want an eye opener, look up how the organization condemned vaccinations for decades as the work of the devil and then decades later after who knows how many people came down with horrific diseases, changed their tune and say it’s ok to get vaccinated…

Just Google “Jehovah’s Witnesses- flip flops and changes ” and see what comes up.
Not an ice cubes chance in Hell that a loving intelligent God is behind these clowns in New York.

Question for sunny787
How did you get help. I divorced my ex (who is a JW) and he dropped all contact with me and his child. Now after 6 yrs of no contact from him he is taking me to court to get joint custody. He is denying ever being diagnosed as bipolar and is no longer taking the meds that were prescribed for him. He says he once had mild depression. He says his drug addiction was “periodic” and that he is now recovered from his drug and alcohol addictions. Has a certificate that he completed an addiction program.
He has past a psych evaluation by lying his way through it and the psychiatrist believed all his lies. No one has checked his stories.
Does your ex have visitation rights? Who did you get help from?

Aloha Daisy, when I left my JW (elder) ex, he told everyone I was the one who had mental problems. My kids were 10 and 11 yrs old. Because he was an elder I knew there wasn’t anyone in the cong I could go to who would help me. Without telling anyone my plans I left the city I was living in and moved across the country (I knew he had no money to follow me). I left my son (because he had lots of friends and I didn’t want to uproot him). My ex never fought me on the custody issue but I knew my son wouldn’t stay with his dad for long. My ex bad-mouthed me to anyone in the cong who would listen. I had physical custody of my daughter and my ex had physical custody of my son. It worked out with us fir tax reasons. But before leaving I filed for divorce because he was very abusive to me verbally and emotionally. Things only got ugly when my son refused to stay with his dad (esp because he was being molested by another elder’s son) and my ex realized he was losing BOTH kids to me…..the crazy b*tch.
It sounds as though your ex has everyone fooled about his past and present behavior. Is he still a JW? If you can afford it please try to get an attorney (maybe through legal aid). The reason I’m suggesting this is because I’ve recently seen how many of the ‘brothers’ are not above lying on the stand in court proceedings and I wouldn’t want you to lose custody of your kids in this situation.
There are many Facebook groups where you might get helpful suggestions. If you’re interested, pls email me at: bklynlatina@hotmail.com. I wish you all the best in your struggle.

Get an attorney that understands cults and what they do to children. Have your ex questioned as a hostile witness and have your attorney ask him if he would approve a blood transfusion if the child were in his custody and it was deemed necessary for the child’s survival. Make sure your attorney reminds him that he is under oath and that his testimony will be made public to his “JW buddies”.

He will have to say that he would fight a blood transfusion even if it cost the child’s life. If he lies, then you’ll want to produce documentation of the teachings of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society regarding blood transfusions and even use some recent newsworthy events such as this one:

Then have your attorney motion that the court dismiss your ex’s request for joint custody as granting any form of unsupervised custody would present a clear and present danger to the life of your child.

Hello. My name is Danu. I was raised to be a Jehovah’s Witness. My parents, sister, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins are all Jehovah’s Witnesses. My father was the presiding overseer of the congregation as I was growing up. Some of my family were/are missionaries and full time pioneers. I married a Jehovah’s Witness and raised my children to be Jehovah’s Witnesses. At 38 years old I realized it was all just a huge lie. I spent 10 years being angry and bitter, trying to find the truth. I am now 56 years old. I realize that truth and understanding is very individual to each person. My concept of Christianity is very abstract. I believe there are truths in nearly all religious paths. Although that all sounds nice and wonderful, I also believe that there are powerfully dangerous teachings in many religious organizations.

Jehovah’s Witnesses seem to relish in the thought of finding a troubled and desperate person and bringing them into their organization. In fact they often feel that someone needs to be in a troubled state in order to accepts the ‘truths’ taught to them. This is a scary thought. An organization filled with desperate and sick people who are convinced that as long as they unquestionably obey the elders and the Watchtower organization they will not be killed by their loving god and will be blessed with eternal life with all the other Jehovah’s Witnesses who also unquestionably obey the elders and the Watchtower Organization. This is the ultimate setting for psychologically controlling the minds of people and teaching them, in turn, to psychologically control others.

Think for a minute about the damage this would cause a young child. Children are vulnerable and want desperately to please their parents. This is natural. But a healthy parent wants their child to learn to be independent and capable of making logical and educated decisions, to learn how to decide for themselves what their choices will be. A healthy parent wants their child to have high self esteem and a healthy and happy social network. In the Jehovah’s Witness Organization there is no room for such healthy parenting. Children are taught at an early age that their thoughts, feelings and beliefs should be put aside and their life is to be guided and directed by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. This is who they are to listen to, and they are to comply only with this organization’s directions. Now, picture a child who is starting school and is very confused because all the other children in their class are so happy and nice but god is going to kill them because they are not Jehovah’s Witnesses. I see a mental health issue starting here.

It’s pretty easy to see why there are so many mental health issues within this organization. And of course, if these health issues were fixed the organization would lose control of these people. So instead they often guide them away from such help and try to strengthen their control by counselling these people themselves. Sadly, these mind controlled elders do not have the education or knowledge to safely assist their damaged flock.

Sadly, I have caused damage to my children because of the beliefs I raised them with. Fortunately they are not a part of this organization any more.

I remain anonymous as I still have contact with my JW family. I will not talk religion with them and simply change the subject when it surfaces. I feel sad for them but we are all responsible for our decisions and until they are brave enough to open their eyes and see the truth, I can’t help them. They have to help themselves.

I want to thank you for this blog. It opens the door for Jehovah’s Witnesses who are scared and feel stuck. It gives them a chance to talk and realize that there are many others who desperately need out and many more who have walked away. Many of these ex jehovah’s witnesses have found a new life and all the blessing that have come with it.

Thanks for your comment Danu. For past few months I have been gorging myself on anything and everything I can read/watch regarding the JW teachings. I was raised a JW and very rarely understood anything that was taught.

Everything I did was because I was forced to do by my mother who came from a Catholic family and became a devout JW. I always liked going to the Catholic Church but when she became a JW all that changed.

She made us join the ministry school, go in field svc, give comments at the WT on Sunday. If we didn’t we were beaten. I could not believe a religion would say one thing from the platform and have my mother act so different at home. So many times we were told that we wouldn’t amount to anything and other JW families had kids who would always do better than her own kids.

Sadly I married a JW once again to make my mother happy. Never mind my own happiness. I marries him to get away from my mother. Little did I know I was ‘shooting myself in the foot’. I realized the control was always apparent in the cong and the elders (I married one) were obsessed with control, sex and power. It was a sad situation all round.

When I had my 2 children I had to bring them up as JWs because of their father. Because I was for years only going through the motions I realized I didn’t want my 2 kids growing up in a hateful, controlling environment. Fortunately they are NOT JWs and are very happy and healthy with their lives. My ex is still in good standing although he put me through horrendous abuse. All I ever wanted to do is NOT be a JW. Thankfully I am now healthy and happy with no one controlling my life but me.

You are SO right Danu. The controlling tactics of the JWs is ‘out of control’ and can be detrimental to young and old alike. They control what the JWs eat, what they wear, how they groom themselves, who they associate with, what medical assistance they can or can’t have, who they marry and what they can and can’t do in their marriages, even in the BEDROOM!!! To me that’s the ultimate control. I can’t live like that.

Thank you so much for your kind words Danu. You are an excellent writer and what you say rings true to this former JW.

Like you, I find that Christianity can be abstract and I would add that the best quality I have found in the best people, regardless of denomination, is reasonableness.

You’re right about JW’s having to help themselves. I get a lot of people on here who think there is some point of argument or magical phrase that’s going to wake their JW relatives, friends or significant other up. It doesn’t exist. A JW’s healing starts in their own mind and heart. They have to first realize they are being deceived. When that happens that is when the long road to recovery begins.

Like you, I was angry when I left and for years afterward. I couldn’t understand how a logical person could continue to believe what they teach and yet completely discount any argument, thought, observation or proof that they were wrong.

The old joke: “How many psychiatrists does it take to change a lightbulb?” comes to mind. “Only one, but the lightbulb has to WANT to change.” In that respect, JW’s are a lot like the lightbulb.

Thanks for sharing your heartfelt and honest thoughts and feelings on this blog Danu.

I never thought about the child aspect before; the young child who just wants to play with friends in the playground but at the age of four, a jw child is already experiencing the grief of loss and bereavement, believing that their friends will be killed. Imagine that a kindergarden jw child believes that worldly classmates are to be feared as the wtbts has indoctrinated them into believing that their classmates are satanic.

To realise that there are grown men and women in the organisation who purposefully, clinically and coldly, subject young children to this psychological torment.

The website AAWA.co has a well done video named: “Watchtower Truths: Children in Danger.” (May 2013) It portraits three examples of children at different ages struggling through their growing years and afterwards. One of them will “cry himself to sleep” because he was told by the JW’s his own grandmother will be destroyed at Armageddon. Another was disfellowshipped for smoking at 15 years old, isolating himself in his. Now an adult with memories that still torment him. And a teenager girl with depression and suicidal thoughts. The video ends with: “Manipulating young’s minds through fear is psychological abuse. And it must be stopped.” Watching a two year-old knocking in a door, a four year-old wearing a mini-suit and a tie at an assembly and a five year-old public witnessing with his father in a street with a mobile cart is not anyone’s idea of cuteness. Sure, now the Watchtower society has a bunch of video cartoons in their JW.org so they can lure children into their twisted mind control. Blog writing is a great vehicle to channel thoughts and ventilate all sort of emotions. What is needed is to preach, just like the JW’s do, to friends, family and neighbors about the perils and dangers of letting their doctrines poison the minds of those would be new recruits. Especially those distressed by life’s situations which are the publishers’ easy target on the street. Don’t let children fall to these birds of prey.

Hi, I am I the process of fading from the organisation. I can’t just leave and live life as I would like to, as I know they will ban my daughter, who is married to an elders son from seeing me and her brothers. I have been ‘in the truth’ all my life, pioneered for 30+ years, always the centre of the congregation doing demos and giving talks and stand in talks on the school…the whole 9 yards. The last couple of years everything went pear shaped and its caused me to re-evalute everything. I’m not liking what I see in this organisation I have always loved. My daughter was sexualy abused by her uncle, a JW,. He went to prison , but only because he eventually confessed. The elders said they couldn’t df him as there wasn’t 2 witnesses. How ridiculous, its a stupid rule. My daughter is so messed up because of this, and combined with a unloving dad (he still goes and likes to play the part, although we know what he really is) and her controlling JW husband, who has acted very far from Christian, she now has no control over her life. She’s on anti depressants and drinks too much. She’s constantly tired from spending such long days in the ministry and works too. It breaks my heart to see her in this state, but she thinks she is doing the right thing just as I did at her age. You use the ministry as a crutch to cope with how unhappy your life is. I know very many unhappy jw’s in unhappy marriages, trapped because youre not allowed to seperate. If you do, like i did, your friends drop you, its like you died. I havent been reproved or df’d because I havent done anything but the treatment is almost the same…My other children, along with me have stopped going, and done the unthinkable-researched the history of the society. No wonder we were never allowed to do that. I have learned so much. I’m on a road of discovery but have to tread so carefully so I don’t lose my family. It breaks my heart how controlling it is. I never saw it when I was in, but just a few months of not going, its like I’ve woken up, like the spell is broken. It’s so hard to explain unless you’ve been through it. As a child I used to cry myself to sleep with worry that my dad who was never a witness, was going to be destroyed at Armageddon. I used to hope he’d get sick and die so he would get a resurrection. It’s so twisted, damaging and unchristian. Anyway, that’s a little glipse of where I am up to. It’s good to read the positive experiences on here of people that have got their life back. It’s very early days for me, I don’t think I will ever get my life back, but its such a relief not to have to constantly go on the ministry, keep up with everything they throw at you, days text, pre study for watchtower, group book, kingdom ministry, read read read…..now I just read my bible and talk to Jehovah. No more constant guilt that whatever I’m doing, it just isn’t enough! It makes me sad that a religion that has fought so hard for religious freedom bans it from their own members.

I can only imagine the hurt you are experiencing, but I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate that you shared your story. It is very helpful.

I grew up as a Christian but departed from my faith …got connected with JW a couple of years ago (who I found out had a similar sad experience as your daughter, unfortunately it was never reported)

I agreed to attend meetings and become a witness, in order to have a chance to go public with our friendship and plan a life together. After all, I felt it was time to take religion seriously …
The challenge was this: when I am in thntruth, we can resume the friendship in a proper way …(although there were few boundaries while the relationship was not public). So, I am constantly wondering when will I really get there and how do I stay in the truth …?

It has only been a couple of years with the organization, but the effects are almost incredible. I have these panic like experiences, infused with fear and guilt. I admit, at times it is difficult to separate a feeling of despair, of loosing someone you love, because you never know where you really stand, from the emotional and panic-like experiences of the uncertainty about faith. I thought it would be much simpler. It should be!

Last month I decided to slow down and stop attending meetings. Not easy though, as at times I feel guilty If I don’t attend. How did this happen?

I can only imagine the courage, you and those who grew up in the organization must have to break free and start a new life.

I pray every night for grace, and ask God to re-anchor my faith and hope in Jesus. I wish you the same.

My mom has been a JW since her 30’s and she 78 next month. She suffers from anxiety and depression and has seen a doctor for it. I think the JWs have relaxed on the viewpoint of psychiatry, counseling, therapy. It may be due to the fact that if they persuade a person to not go to seek help they can be held accountable if something were to happen. But I grew up a JW and I remember that feeling that I couldn’t go to seek help from a “worldly” counselor. I like that the quote in the article from 1960 (maybe “old light”?) says they are the “best-oriented, happiest and most contented group of people on the face of the earth. They have the least need for psychiatrists..” Wow. Not from what I have experienced.

Nor from mine anonymous! Not only was that statement false, it was made by a group of men who had no qualifications to make such a statement. They issued a blanket assurance of the mental health of their entire organization without examination.

In the legal profession they call that medical malpractice and practicing medicine without a license.

I was raised as a Witness, disassociated myself at the age of 20. Have experienced depressions on and off my entire life. At the age of 40 these bouts of illness reached a fever pitch. I have tried over 30 medications, had 15 commitments to various psych hospitals and have undergone 25 rounds of electro convulsive ‘therapy’. Both of my brothers and my Mom are devoted Witnesses. During the past 12 years I received a visit ONCE from one of my brothers informing me that my difficulties were due to lack of a spiritual life. Other than that not one single other visit, card, phone call or inquiry in any way over the years from these family members as to how I was faring. I’m not bitter about this as I am informed on what their position is. I’m not a proponent of the way psychiatric drugs are prescribed like candy. What I can say is depression and other mental illnesses are life threatening conditions which are not the fault of those who are challenged with these conditions. At this juncture in life I have lost more friends to suicide than to any other illness. I would take any physical pain I’ve ever known over a major depressive episode. There are limits to what psychiatry can offer but drugs and talk therapy have helped many. Much of the world remains unsympathetic to mental illness but JW’s have the audacity to claim that devotion to their faith is the cure. I doubt anyone has been freed of metastatic cancer by immersing themselves in meetings and service. The same holds true for debilitating mental conditions. I devote much thought to existential matters. I’m confident that my depressive episodes are enhanced in their severity due to my particular upbringing. As one of my doctors continuously reminded me, it was emotional abuse b

R
Please hang on, one day, even one minute at a time. Please, please believe that the lack of support and compassion from JW’s was, and never will be, your fault, their lack of love and support is, and NEVER, will be the measure of your self worth or value.
Please keep on talking and reaching out to services, for someone to listen to how you are feeling and to feel even temporary relief of such emotional anguish.

There are many people who will be thinking of you. This illness is not your fault.
Alena

I think it is the “timely reminders” like this that keep the brothers and sisters penned in psychologically:
“If we are not careful, we could give ear to Satan’s wicked advice instead of God’s loving counsel. Never allow worldly music, videos, TV shows, books, associates, educators, or so-called experts to control your life” (*** w14 8/15 p. 23 par. 7 Hear Jehovah’s Voice Wherever You Are ***).

As Doug clearly says: “..psychological inoculation…” is a slow and very effective method of streaming this cult video/audio image into the deepest parts of the subconscious brain. Like a habit, an addiction, an accent or a craving, it becomes an intricate part of your personality which will never be extinguished, not even Dr. Phil will get rid of it. “What were you thinking? Get a life! You need to grow up!” and such comments cannot penetrate this great barrier of inoculation. It is a virus without an effective vaccine. What’s the difference between the Ebola virus and the JW organization? You can survive the Ebola! You know the scripture well: “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) Does it mean music, videos, TV shows, books, associates, educators, or so-called experts to control your life from the Watchtower will keep your mind and your heart in its right place? That same Satan loves lies and hates the truth. All you have to do is read the bible and he will leave you alone. No more Kingdom Songs, JW.org videos, TV cast from JW.org headquarters, Watchtower, Awake, etc., public speakers, elders or governing body. Almost forgot, no more knocking on doors and reporting time, You are already saved by grace (not undeserved kindness). Ephesians 2:8. No matter how many tracts or magazines you place on those doors you knock, you will not be saved according to JW.org. You will have to do it until you die, and then you will part of a big crowd. The 144,000 will have the best seat on the house of God? While you are part of an “earthly paradise”? What were you thinking? Get a life! You need to grow up! Jesus placed all the ideas of salvation on people’s hearts. He did place one magazine in any place. He did all the knocking on doors for you. From the wood from all those doors (read our own sins) an execution device (call it cross, torture stake or stauros) was built and right there, he saved you. “It is finished.” (John 19:30)

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About Me

Hi I'm Doug Shields.
I was a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses for twenty-three years of my life. I finally realized that they didn't have "the truth" and I left the organization.

That decision cost me members of my family, my friends, my reputation, and in some respects, my identity. I had to rebuild my life one brick at a time.

Today I'm a happy, productive, and highly fulfilled person.

The purpose of this blog is to help others who are experiencing strained or broken relationships, self destructive behavior, addictions, depression, and low self esteem as a direct result of involvement in destructive mind control cults.

I hope you find this blog to be as helpful to you in reading it as is to me in writing it.